Luminous display device



Jan. 9, 1934. 'w. o. PROUTY ,942,877

LUMINOUS DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 19. 1929 N V/ZN TOR W77: agwzy A TTORNE V Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATE s LUMINOUS DISPLAY DEVICE Willis 0. Prouty, Hermosa Beach, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Proutyline Products 00., Manhattan Beach, Calif., a corporation of California Application August 19, 1929. Serial No. 387,058

2 Claims.

i attracting attention. I obtain this result by appropriate circuit controlling devices that aifect the energization of luminous elements comprising the letters.

For convenience, luminous tubes of well-known 19 construction can be used for these elements; and.

it is accordingly another object of my invention to make it possible to utilize such luminous tubes in changeable sign characters.

By quick flashing, the appearance of the letters can be very effectively varied so as to be attractive; and it is another object of my invention to provide a letter or a series of letters, the shape of which is quickly varied, as for example its height or breadth.

My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent-from a consideration of one embodiment of my invention. For thispurpose I have shown a form in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specification. I shall now proceed to describe this form in detail, which illustrates the general principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of my invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a diagram of a sign incorporating my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a diagram of one scheme for securing the results outlined hereinbefore.

In Fig. 1, as an example, I show a sign spelling Gasoline, which merely diagrammatically illustrates my invention. The full lines represent the l appearance of the illumination for one condition of the illuminating circuits; and the dotted lines represent the form of the letters for another condition of illumination. While it is possible to add this extension either at the top, bottom, or sides, of the letters, I indicate it in this instance as added to the bottom. The change from one shape to another is preferably accomplished automatically and rapidly, to give a flasher effect.

In Fig. 2, I show how this scheme can be carried out when luminous tubes are used for defining the letter. There are in general, for each character or letter, three parts that require separate illumination systems. In this figure I show a letter O, as it is a good example of the way each letter must be treated to perform the illusion of a change in shape, as elongation and shortening. This illuminable part 11 represents that portion which is not altered during the change. Parts 12 and 13 are alternately and never simultaneously illuminated, part 12 for a short letter and part 13 for a long letter. Thus a short letter is formed when parts 11 and 12 only, are illuminated; and

a long letter is formed when parts 11 and 13 only, are illuminated.

Of course in the case of some of the other letters, such as I, A, or N, these may be only two of such parts 11, 12, and 13, as all that is required to elongate a letter is to illuminate extensions to existing letter elements.

Although I have shown but one letter in Fig. 2, it is obvious that the circuits leading to the three parts could include either in series or in parallel, corresponding elements of other letters. The control of a single letter is shown in order to keep the wiring diagram comparatively simple. 7.5

I indicate leads 14, 15 leading to a commercial source, to which can be connected a transformer 16, as by a circuit controller 17. This transformer can be so designed as to feed the correct voltage across the member 11 and all other members of other letters that are to be illuminated continuously; and a circuit 18 is shown for effecting this. The circuit controller 1'7 thus serves to energize this member 11 continuously.

Member 12 and corresponding members of other letters in the sign, can be energized through its own circuit such as 22, and through a transformer 19 and circuit controller 20. Similarly, member 13 and corresponding members of other letters in the sign, can be energized through its own circuit such as 21, and through a transformer 23 and circuit controller 24. These circuit controllers 20 and 24 are shown as operated by a flasher mechanism 25, such as are now common on the market; for example, a small motor or other source of motion can be utilized alternately to move rod 26 up and down, to open one of the two controllers 20, 24, and simultaneously to close the other controller. Any desired mechanism to alternate the energization of parts 12 and 13 could, however, be used. The speed of alternation can be made anything desired; and in fact, member 11 could also be independently flashed without interfering with the apparent elongation and contraction of the character, as 0 by making controller 17 in the form of a flasher.

I claim:

1. In an illuminated display device, a plurality of current consuming character elements, forming strokes of two characters having the same having the same significance, but of different dimensions, a part of the elements being common to both characters, means for energizing the common elements, and means for alternately energizing the other elements to form said characters alternately.

WILLIS O. PROUTY. 

